Ornamental wooden article and process of producing same.



PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904:. W. W., E. G. (K; O. F. DITTMAR.

ORNAMENTAL WOODEN ARTICLE AND PROCESS OF PRGDUC-ING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

W M M.

UNITED STATES Patented November 1, 1904,

PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM WV. DITTMAR, ELMER O. DITTMAR, AND OLIVER F. DITTMAR, OF WVILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORNAMENTAL WOODEN ARTICLE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SAME- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 773,854, dated November 1, 1904. Application filed February 20, 1904. Serial No. 194,592. (No model.)

To (Z6 whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM W. DI'I'TMAR, ELMER O. DITTMAR, and OLIVER F. DITTMAR, citizens of the United States, residing at VVilliamsport, in the county of Lycoming, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Ornamented IVooden Articles and Processes of Producing of the material, preferably wood, extends longitudinally thereof and the material upon all of the surfaces of said article is compressed toward its axial center, so as to simultaneously produce designs upon the several faces thereof. This compression is applied at equidistant points upon substantially the entire periphery of the work in lines extending radially and tangentially to the center of the work, the tangential lines of pressure intersecting each other to produce a resultant radial pressure toward the center as if the entire surface were compressed radially.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process of producing such an article consisting in the simultaneous compression of the several surfaces thereof, so as to ornament all of said surfaces at a single operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claims. I A

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of an apparatus adapted to carry the process into efliect. Fig. 2 is a similar detail View upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the operative faces of two cooperating wheels acting upon the article to be ornamented. Fig. & is an elevation of the article to be ornamented, and Fig. 5 is a similar view of the completed article.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The letter A designates a spindle. column, or balister which may be turned or otherwise formed of the proper general outline, the surfaces of which are to be subsequently ornamented. These articles are generally of wood, but may be formed of other material, if found desirable, and that shown in the present instance is turned to the general shape desired. In this illustration the portions A at the opposite sides of the center of the article are to be ornamented upon all surfaces for producing the effect of carved work thereon, as shown in Fig. 5. Different forms of apparatus may be used for producing this ornamentation, and we have illustrated one desirable construction thereof in which the rollers B and B are shown arranged in pairs opposite to each other, each of said rollers being provided with one or more die-blocks B extended from the surface thereof, as shown in Fig. 8. These die-rollers are mounted upon driving-shafts B disposed at right angles to each other and suitably geared together at their points of intersection by the bevel-gears B, so disposed as to rotate each of the rollers in the same direction. The surfaces of the die-blocks are curved so that when in con tact with the article all the faces thereof to be ornamented are simultaneously engaged by the dies and any splitting of the wood is prevented while the design is impressed thereon by compression. The die-blocks are formed of a proper shape to produce the desired design and to conform to the outline and surface to be ornamented to secure suitable and equal pressure thereon at the several points. For instance, the block may be cut-away at one end, as shown at 15", so as to ornament the enlargement A at the free ends of the article.

The article produced by this process comprises a spindle, column, or similar device which is first turned or formed in the general outline desired and has the grain of the wood extending longitudinallythereof with all of its surfaces compressed upon the ornamental portions toward the axial orlongitudinal center thereof as the result of the pressure in lines at an angle to each other. The process of thus ornamenting an article provides for the complete ornamentation thereof at a single operation and prevents any splitting of the wood, which frequently occurs when a single die is used or when a die is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the article instead of parallel therewith. The dies, acting in pairs, resist the pressure of each other and by their joint action impress the material along the grain thereof, so as to secure the most desirable and complete results without the necessity of a subsequent finishing operation. The turned or previously-formed article comprising the stock is inserted between the opposing die-rollers, as indicated in Fig. 3, while the compression thereof produces the design, as indicated by full lines at the left of the stock, and completes the work, as indicated by the dotted lines at the right thereof, producing a completed product, as shown in Fig. 5, in which all of the surfaces thereof are compressed longitudinally of the grain of the material and ornamented by a single operation.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the form of apparatus for producing this article and carrying the process into effect without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

\Vhat we claim is- 1. As an article of manufacture, a spindle or similar article having the grain extending longitudinally thereof and simultaneously compressed on substantially its entire periphery at equidistant points both radially and tangentially to the center of the work, said tangential pressure extending for equal spaces on both sides of the line of radial pressure and intersecting a tangential line of pressure from another point to produce a resultant radial compression toward the center of the article.

2. The process of ornamenting an article consisting in compressing it simultaneously and radially on lines equidistant of substantially the entire periphery of the work and tangentially between the radial lines of pressure for equal spaces on both sides thereof, such tangential pressure producing a resultant radial pressure toward the center of the work as if the entire surface were compressed radially.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM WV. DITTMAR. ELMER C. DITTMAR. OLIVER F. DITTMAR. WVitnesses:

J AMES B. KRAUsE, OLIVER J. DECKER. 

